First Five Documentary Will Premiere in Indianapolis

The film chronicling Bob Knight's inaugural Indiana University recruiting class debuts on October 7 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral.

Updated on Oct. 1, 2026 in Basketball

First Five Documentary Will Premiere in Indianapolis

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The documentary First Five will hold its world premiere on October 7 at the Scottish Rite Cathedral in Indianapolis. Directed by Grant Guffin, the film details the legacy of the five players who formed Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight's first recruiting class.

Why it matters

The documentary was created to show how this specific recruiting class transformed the Indiana Hoosiers program. It provides an intimate look at the group that established the foundation for the team's historic 29-0 regular season in 1974-75.

The documentary has a 75-minute runtime. It revisits the 1974-75 team that achieved a 29-0 regular season record before their 92-90 defeat against Kentucky in the Mideast Regional.

The players

Bob Knight

He was a prominent basketball coach at Indiana University from 1971 until his departure.

Grant Guffin

He is the director of the documentary film First Five.

Steve Ahlfeld

He was one of the five players in Bob Knight's first recruiting class at Indiana University.

Steve Green

He was one of the five players in Bob Knight's first recruiting class at Indiana University.

John Laskowski

He was one of the five players in Bob Knight's first recruiting class at Indiana University.

The details

First Five features interviews with players Steve Ahlfeld, Doug Allen, Steve Green, John Kamstra, and John Laskowski alongside archival photos and film. The project follows the evolution of these athletes from their 1971 arrival through their senior season.

Timeline

  1. Bob Knight's first recruiting class arrived at Indiana University in 1971.

  2. The players completed their senior season during the 1974-75 academic year.

  3. Coach Bob Knight died on November 1, 2023.

  4. The world premiere screening is set for October 7, 2026.

  5. A second screening will occur at the Indy Art Center on October 15, 2026.

The Big Picture

The documentary contextualizes the early years of the program relative to the 1973 Final Four game. This retrospective helps anchor the team's development within the broader history of Indiana University basketball.

Attendees at the premiere will have the opportunity to participate in a post-screening Q&A session with the featured subjects. Interested viewers can secure virtual access to the documentary through the online portal until the mid-October deadline.

The takeaway

The film offers an introspective look at the foundational years of a major college basketball program. Examining these formative seasons allows fans to understand the origins of the teams competitive culture.

What happens next

Virtual tickets for the film are available for purchase through October 18, 2026.

Further reading

Learn more about the local sports scene in the Basketball section.

More information

To purchase tickets or find event details, visit the virtual screening ticket purchase portal.

Source note: This article includes information reported by Mirror Indy.

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Do you believe basketball dynasties are built more by recruiting top talent or developing team culture?